Star Wars - Alternation - Part 1
by Drew Robertson
Summary: An alternate ending for Star Wars - Return of the Jedi!


Star Wars - Alternation

Star Wars title, owned characters belong to Lucasarts Ltd. This story does not take place within continuity and is a fan-fiction work. This is purely for entertainment purposes only and not for profit. This story published by Drew Robertson

Timeline of this story is happening at the end of Episode 6 - Return of the Jedi where Luke has fought his father and is confronting the Emperor...

The Emperor laughed as Luke hovered over Vader, Vader's hand held up a sign for mercy his other holding a lightsber not in attack, but defence. Luke turned and the Emperor and the Emperor said, "Your hate has made you powerful. Now finish him and take your father's place at my side!" Luke looked at his hand, then his father's hand. [I'm becoming just like him!] he thought. He lowered his lightsabre down a little and stood up straight. "Never, I'll never turn to the dark side. You failed your highness, I am a Jedi, like my father before me." Vader realized the horrors he had done and with his son's halting of killing him, he knew that this was the time that he could put an end to the one who had cause so much pain over the years once and for all. He looked at the Emperor and said, "**You** caused Padme's death. **You** caused the destruction of the Jedi, and **you** caused me to turn on my friend and master! The cycle of evil needs to end here today my FORMER master!" Together Anakin and Luke stood side by side, father and son ready to face the full power of the Emperor. "Watch for his force lightning, block it with your sabre, son!" Luke nodded and the two approached the Emperor together. "Lord Vader, you disappoint me! Who was the one who rescued you from the verge of death all those years ago?" "A death I would have welcomed knowing the future that was in store." The Emperor was startled, but he went on the attack, "Very well Skywalkers, Lord Vader... you are no longer **worthy** to be called Darth Vader! Anakain, you are you traitorous fool!" Energy fired out from his hands towards Anakin and Luke and their swords blocked the impacts, but it was so powerful that it sent them back to the ground! The Emperor had grown more powerful over the years since he last fought Yoda. Their sabres flicked off for an instant on impact to the ground. Both Anakin and Luke quickly got up and ignited their swords again. Anakin unleashed the force and sent a wall of energy that sent the Emperor flying to the wall!

The Emperor got up and ignited his own sabre that had been hidden under his robe the whole time and attacked violently the two Skywalkers! Anakin and Luke worked as a team, sensing when the other would strike and blocking the Emperor's senses because the family bond was stronger between them than any Jedi had. They went all over the platform with their battle. Luke swung in and so did Anakin, the Emperor was fast still to block it all. Equipment flung through the air to knock Luke and Anakin off balance. They dodged or cut through whatever came their way. As they fought, Anakin said, "Luke, I loved your mother. Tell your sister when this is over that you were right about me. No matter what happens." "I will father." "How pathetic you really are Anakin!" yelled the Emperor, "to think after all these years you could be so easily swayed back to the narrow-mided Jedi way by the simple fact of your son!"

"It is not weak to preserve life!" hissed Anakin from his mask as he swung his sabre and clashed with the Emperor. Luke spun and cut off the Emperor's hand! "AGH! My hand!" shouted the Emperor. He unleashed a volley of force lightning that would stagger most, but together, father and son stood their ground and both used the force to push the Emperor to the edge of the pit. The Emperor refused to give in, he stood up and fired the dark lightning again and again, "You are no match for the DARK SIDE!" Suddenly his foot slipped. He didn't realize how close to the edge he had been and slipped down the side into the deep shaft, screaming as he went. A long ways down, his body erupted when the lightning had struck a fuel cell and caused it to explode!

When the air cleared, Luke and Anakin shut off their sabres and looked at each other. Anakin said, "I think I will need to find a less threatening appearance now." Luke smiled and said, "the med droids can find something I'm sure. But right now we need to get out of here, this station's going to erupt!" The two made their way to a shuttle and got in. "Allow me," said Anakin, "I was always a good pilot!" He got behind the controls and Luke sat in the co-pilot chair. They managed to lift off without a scrape.

Outside the station, the Millenium Falcon emerged from fire and flew away as the station blew! KAAA-THOW! A celebration broke out on the Endor moon, and when news of the victory spread so did Bespin, Mos Eisley, Coruscant, and many other places. The Emperor was gone! Freedom had been restored!

On the medical frigate, Luke had docked with Anakin. When the door opened and Luke stood there with Anakin, many reached for their guns but Luke said, "No wait! This is my father, Anakin Skywalker! He has renounced the dark side - the evil that was Darth Vader is gone..." then he looked at his father's appearance and said, "but he could use a new look?" The med droids understood and so did the guards. Soon Anakin had a new look, one that was reminiscent of a Jedi, but it had new equipment meant for keeping him alive. A new black cape covered the shoulders, new black body armour replaced the battle-damaged armour, black material relpaced the leatherish clothing he had worn. The head piece, the frightening image of Darth Vader, had been taken off, the new breath mask covering only his mouth and nose looking like a ninja's mask now, was black in colour. His face and head had been surgically fixed by the droids with new skin and hair. Soon, the new look of Anakin was complete. He awoke from the massive surgery and saw his new face. A tear came down his cheek and he turned to Luke, "I don't believe it!" Luke smiled and said, "As Yoda used to say to me - that is why you fail!" "Master Yoda?! Is he still alive?" A voice from behind said, "No, I am not, "The ghostly image of Yoda stood there with Obi-Wan, "Fulfilled at last the prophecy you have Anakin. You have brought balance to the force." Obi-wan added, "I knew you wouldn't let me down, Anakin." Yoda looked at both then said, "Yes, but took long enough he did. Brought balance to the force you have Master Anakin. Good to see you on the good side again." Anakin said, "Thank you Master. I have done so many horrible things - how can I ever make it up?" "Stay true to the good side, be the best Jedi you can, and help your children build the Jedi ranks again!" said Obi-Wan. "Obi-Wan," said Anakin, "forgive me old friend." "You have come back to the light side of the force, that is all that I had hoped for. Padme knew there was still good in you, I had my doubts, but it looks like your son proved her right. Now do this task that has been set before you old friend!" "I will Master," said Anakin. He smiled, a new purpose had been set before him. The group stood there talking.

On the ground, the celebration in the Ewok village continued. A while later Luke joined them with Anakin. At first Anakin didn't want to join. Leia saw him and said, "Luke? Who's this?" Anakin saw Leia for the first time without a mask, "It's me, Leia," he said, "Anakin Skywalker, your father." Suddenly everyone stopped. Han yelled out, "VADER?!" Luke said, "He WAS Darth Vader, he is now Anakin Skywalker again. He has come back to the good side - just like I thought he would Leia." Leia stared at the new look, "Dad?" Anakin welled up with tears, "I have a daughter!" The two embraced. Han stood there in shock, "Wait a minute! You're the guy who tortured me and gave me to Boba Fett!" Anakin looked up and said, "Yes... I did do that, and all I can ask it that you can find it in your heart to forgive an old man." Han looked at him. Even though the Vader mask was gone and the uniform was different than before, he couldn't shake the memory of what had happened, "Just keep you distance old man!" He stormed off. "Han!" yelled Leia, "come back!" "It's okay Leia," said Anakin, "I'm bound to get a lot of that for the next while."

On board another shuttle, an Imperial guard had a vile that contained the blood of Anakin and the Emperor. He also had Luke's hand which had been retrieved from Bespin. "Head to the cloners on Kamino," he said. The pilot acknowledged and set course. The guard removed his head piece to reveal a young man, red and black tattooed all over his face. It was a clone of Darth Maul with his spirit inside! He had been in the training of the Emperor for some time, since Darth Vader's battle on Bespin when the Emperor thought he might lose Vader to the light side. He would be his back up to bring him back and make an army of Luke and Anakin clones. He was the Emperor's new secret apprentice, and he would fulfil his mission. The Imperial shuttle continued its' way to Kamino, and when it landed the clone of Darth Maul walked out for all to see. He had samples of the Emperor, Anakin, and Luke's hand that had been retrieved from Cloud City. He told the guards to wait in the shuttle. He walked up to the doors and they opened, one of the cloner operators was there to meet him, "Greetings, I am..." "I am uninterested in who you are," Maul interrupted, "only what you can do. I need some clones, especially of this sample so my Master can return by dwelling in it." Stunned, the cloner said, "That will be difficult, we have never merged an entity with a clone body before..." a red lightsabre reached their throat and Maul stared at them, "I made the journey just fine without your help! We just need the clone body!" "We didn't say we wouldn't try..." the cloner stammered out. "You just make the body, as fast as you can to a mature state, then let me worry about binding the two together." The lightsabre lowered. "This way please," said the cloner. The two walked down the hallway...

On Endor, the Rebel Alliance sent out the signal to the farthest reaches of the galaxy and their systems trumpeting the end of the Empire and the reign of the Emperor. Anakin worked with Luke to send out a message to any surviving Jedi in hiding - it said: "To all surviving Jedi hiding in the galaxy and their systems: Come home to Coruscant and rebuild the Jedi Order under the tutorage of Anakin and Luke Sywalker. Work with us to restore the peacekeeping order that we have provided in the past." Anakin sent it out and and looked at Luke, "Do you think it will work?" Luke said, "We can only hope, father."

On Endor, Anakin and Luke boarded the Millenium Falcon with Han, Leia, Chewbacca, Lando, C3P0, and R2D2. There was some obvious uneasiness being in the same room with Anakin, but they were starting to understand he was no longer the evil creature he had been as Darth Vader - but they were keeping their distance. Anakin sat with Luke, they watched the others in the nearby gaming area. The ship was on auto-pilot headed to Coruscant. Anakin sensed their uneasiness, "Luke, it's going to be a while before they really trust me isn't it?" Luke sensed their uneasiness too, "Yes. Leia will be an easier time, but Han will be a challenge. That time of torture and being frozen in carbonite sure made him edgy." Anakin nodded his head. "Wake me when we've arrived, I'm going to lie down." He rose to his feet, and slowly went to the medical area to lie down on the bed in there. Once asleep, he saw visions both past and present - Padme, Qui-Gonn, Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Luke and Leia. He even saw his old padawan Ahsoka smiling at him saying, "Welcome back Master!" Suddenly his dream saw Darth Maul. He was confused as he knew he had been killed, yet there was Maul standing side by side with a young cloned Emperor! He also saw an army of Mauls, Vaders, and Lukes. He woke with a start, "No!" The sound made Luke and the others come running. Luke said, "What is it father?" Anakin, dripping with sweat said, "I saw a vision of a large dark force rising - Darth Maul, a new Emperor, an army of you, me, and Mauls - all clones of us. Something isn't right. We need to get to Coruscant as fast as we can!" "She's at light speed old man, we'll get you there as fast as we can," said Han. Anakin looked at Han, felt his angst at even talking to him, but also a sense of urgency of wanting to get back to have the new Jedi Order built...


End file.
